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US 2012/0237404 A1Published application
Air Treatment Agent Dispenser with Improved Odour Sensor Functionality
AssigneeReckitt & Colman (Overseas) Limited
InventorSimon Woolley
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AssigneeReckitt & Colman (Overseas) Limited
InventorSimon Woolley
Estimating the term…
A device for evaporating a volatile air treatment agent from a replaceable refill is described herein, the device comprises: a housing with at least one exit orifice for evaporated air treatment agent to exit the device; receiving means within said housing to releasably receive and secure the refill to the device; electrical heating means within said housing; control means; and chimney means within said housing having a lower orifice and an upper orifice to define a first airflow channel therebetween; an airborne agent detector means operable to detect airborne agents in the air, wherein said means are provided with at least one aperture to the exterior of the device to permit, in use, air from outside of the device to enter said airborne agent detector means; wherein the refill for use with the device comprises: a reservoir portion for holding a quantity of volatile air treatment agent; and a wick having a proximal end within the reservoir portion substantially adjacent a base of said reservoir portion and having a distal end extending above the reservoir portion; and wherein the device is configured such that, in use, the securing means are adapted to hold the refill such that the distal end of the wick is located within the chimney means; characterised in that a second airflow channel is provided between said at least one aperture of the airborne agent detector means and said exit orifice.
A device for evaporating a volatile air treatment agent from a replaceable refill, the device comprising:
A device according to any preceding claim wherein the second airflow channel is substantially completely separate from the first airflow channel, such that to the extent that there is any intersection of the two airflow channels said intersection is at or adjacent to the upper orifice.
A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the second airflow channel is provided with a tortuous pathway at or adjacent its intersection with the first airflow channel or at or adjacent the exit orifice such that any air treatment agent condensing in said second airflow channel will not be permitted to travel down the channel toward to the airborne agent detector means.
A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the second airflow channel is provided with a filter membrane at or adjacent its upper extremity such as at its intersection with the first airflow channel or at or adjacent the exit orifice, wherein said filter membrane is configured to prevent or substantially prevent particulate contamination of the airborne agent detector means whilst allowing gas diffusion therethrough.
A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the device is provided with more than one airborne agent detector means and said plurality of detector means are spaced apart from each other within the housing, and wherein a respective airflow channel is provided for each of said detector means.
A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the exit orifice of the housing is the upper orifice of the chimney means.
A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the heating means is located adjacent the chimney means and said chimney means is provided with cut-out portions in registration with the heating means to permit, in use, heat from said means to enter the channel and increase the airflow therethrough.
A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the second airflow channel is provided with a cut-out portion adjacent to the heating means to permit, in use, heat from said means to enter the channel and increase the airflow therethrough.
A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the device is provided with variance means that directly or indirectly engage or communicate with the chimney means to permit the rotation thereof to permit a user of the device to rotate the chimney means in order to alter, in use, the temperature applied from the heating means to the wick of the refill.
A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the device is provided with electronic control means that is capable of increasing the power that is applied to the heating means to increase its thermal output.
A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the airborne agent detector means is substantially completely isolated from any fluid present in the interior of the housing such that any fluid present in the interior of the housing is substantially completely prevented from passing through said one or more housing walls to be detectable by the airborne agent detector means.
A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the housing wall(s) is/are provided with an outwardly extending protrusion adjacent to the aperture(s) communicating with the airborne agent detector means.
A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the airborne agent detector means comprises at least one odour sensor means.
A device according to any preceding claim, wherein, in use, once a quantity of air treatment agent has been emanated and/or the rate of emanation increased the control means prevents the airborne detection means from operating for a period of time.
A dispensing device according to any preceding claim, wherein, in use, the at least one airborne agent detector is operable to detect whether the current airborne agent level deviates from a background airborne agent level detected by more than a predetermined amount, wherein the background airborne agent level and the current airborne agent level is calculated by the device.
A device for evaporating a volatile air treatment agent, the device comprising:
A dispensing device substantially as described herein with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4 of the drawings.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.